by Chris Chilton
- New Jersey law requires drivers to clear all snow from cars.
- Fines start at $25 but rise if snow causes damage or injury.
- Rule was inspired by a fatal accident nearly 30 years ago.
Winter in the Northeast can turn the average parked car into an accidental snow sculpture. Some end up looking almost graceful, others downright ridiculous, but they all share one thing in common: they’re illegal to drive without a proper brush-down.
Now, New Jersey state officials are reminding drivers that snow and ice must be removed from the entire vehicle before heading out, not just a tiny porthole in the windshield that barely reveals the road. That means clearing the windows roof hood and trunk. Failure to get rid of the white stuff can land you with a big fine, and could potentially land another driver in hospital, or worse.
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The reasons is that uncleared snow on your roof or windows can block your own vision or blow off and strike nearby vehicles. At highway speeds a frozen slab becomes a flying projectile that can crack windshields and dent panels.
Fines start at just $25, but if snow or ice flies off your vehicle and causes an accident or injures someone, they can jump to $1,000. Commercial drivers face even higher penalties, potentially reaching $1,500.
The tragedy behind the law
Though the law sounds like common sense, there’s a tragic backstory to its existence. In February 1996 Michael Eastman was driving home when a massive sheet of ice lifted off a trailer and smashed through his windshield, NJ101.5 reports. He suffered fatal head injuries and died days later. His wife Cathy pushed for years to change the law so that no one else would face the same devastating loss.
Her advocacy eventually worked and New Jersey lawmakers listened, ensuring that removing snow and ice was no longer just advice on a winter checklist that half of drivers ignored because they forgot, couldn’t be bothered or didn’t have time. It became a legal requirement, like buckling up your seatbelt.
Can you think of any other common sense winter safety habits that should be on the statute books in snow-prone states? Leave a comment and let us know.
